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Wondering about coming off metformin

I know what metformin does for ME. I gain from metformin. I appreciate not everyone does. We are all different. I only gain by longterm use.
Currently I'm having 6s on holiday with little bolus units. That proves to me its benefit. Visually. Longterm hormonally I'm much more medically stable on it. I prefer to be able to rely on it. Like the decades I used to.
 
I have watched this thread with interest, but just wanted to see how others feel before I added my two penny worth. I take 3 x 500mg of Metformin per day and currently am happy to continue doing so for the following reasons.
Firstly in 2018 I had a trial of reducing to 2 x 500mg per day, my blood sugars went up a tiny bit and my HbA1c went up from 34 to 35 so not much significance, however my weight loss stalled, so I went back up to 3.
Secondly I have a few other health conditions which have potential to cause inflammation, stress etc.. which in turn have the potential to raise my blood sugars. With this in mind I like to keep a good ‘margin for error” between my blood results and the bottom end of prediabetic, insurance if you like.
I feel sometimes I am in the minority here in being content taking medication and not just going for diet alone. I feel my diet is adjusted enough to a level where my diabetes is in remission without being compromised to the point of being unsustainable. If I were to stop the Metformin I may have to change my diet further to a point where I couldn’t enjoy my food any longer.
I need to add that I get absolutely no side effects from Metformin and my kidney function which is checked regularly is normal.
 
Hi Rach
Your numbers speak for themselves
You know what works for you, and what is unhelpful.
Your approach is beyond reproach.
WELL DONE YOU!

A different perspective that is very important to understand.
 
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poemagraphic said:
I am fairly sure that some doctors, diabetic nurses, and consultants, must curse this site, because of the ever-increasing numbers of patients who want to stop their drugs.
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Please do not start that anti-vaxxer conspiracy theory. Doctors, and specially nurses are not getting any "kickbacks" specially not in NHS, or any other national health services. For doctors salary the kickbacks money would be trivial (except for USA drug prices) compared to risk of losing their license and going to jail.
There might be a problem of doctors too eagerly pushing for drugs, but outside USA it is not kickbacks.

How would that even work ? In civilized world there is no way of companies knowing which doctor prescribed what. There are no more prescription pads doctors could photocopy and send to companies for payment.

Doctors push out too many pills because it is easy, I mean if you indiscriminately prescribe antibiotics to every patient chances are for maybe like 30% they do nothing and they heal up by themselves, for another 38% they actually help a little but not really needed, maybe 30% those were absolutely needed and maybe 2% they cause acute problems. Still it is numbers game 98% of those patients were "healed" from the acute problem they had. Not counting damages this indiscriminate antibiotics use will cause to them and all others; killing off good bacteria and developing antibiotics resistant strains. Also the risk. General guideline says: prescribe Metformin for diabetes diagnosis. If that turns out bad they followed the guideline. If they try to do better and it fails, they might get sued for malpractice.

All drugs are poisons. But at right dosage and right drug mostly kill or damages what it is meant to. Problem is none of them are very accurate and human bodies are so different. But in many cases drug side effects are the much lesser evil. So choose you poison; Metformin or Sugar. Best option would ofc be neither, but when that is not possible for most Metformin is much lesser evil.

Drugs are not always bad, mmmkay.


P.S. I am also planning of ditching drugs, IF I can. But only when I can.
 
Hi Mike
I wish you well in your endeavours.

My wife and her sister have worked in three different surgery's over the years, and all, are run firstly and foremost as a profit making business.
I never under estimate the way Big Pharma coerce. Plus, always remembering the incentives the governments, worldwide, give and receive. Vast sums of money change hands based on the amount of prescriptions that they can dispense.. Also remembering, the number of new patients they daily chaperone on to the gravy train. For some it a one way trip... There is no turning back.

This time of year the bottles cascade in from the drug companies reps to the account managers.
Nothing wrong with a little Yule tide offering said Po cynically.
 
Personally I have reduced or come off as many drugs as I could throughout my adult life. But there are some that I cannot of course and these (anti-rejection etc) I take as prescribed. I did manage to get my diabetes medication (gliclizide) down to one 40mg tablet per day last year with an HBA1C in the low 40’s but unfortunately I ‘blew’ it while on holiday and appear to have done some permanent damage making my diabetes control a lit more difficult. I’ve been advised to take 360mg of Gliclizide daily but I’ve managed to negotiate it down to 240mg and am working towards 160mg which I’m achieving at the moment. However I’ve never been able to get my HBA1C down to the 30’s. At the moment I’m up in the 50’s slowly coming down in to the upper 40’s. Got my next blood test on Monday 4th Nov 19 so wish me luck. I will make one statement just for clarity, the doctors/nurses are aware of what I’m doing. I trust them and take their advice but if I disagree I tell them what I’m planning and why.
 
I think that it is very individual. I had memory lapses and brain fog when my HBa1c levels were 65. They have reversed when my blood sugar levels went down to 40 through diet alone.
 
Well I've been off Metformin over three years now and it change my life I wouldn't go back on Metformin for a million pounds it ruined my life for 15 years I don't have to tell you what the problem was I couldn't go to a restaurant with out looking for a toilet I'm a. Drug now what changed my life for good I hope .the name of drug is jardiance 10 mg I've just started going to the gym at age of 72 and recommend that to any one I haven't lost any weight but it gets me out of the the house
 
If you can easily tolerate Metformin, as I can, I wouldn't be in a hurry to come off it. There is a lot of evidence out there that Metformin acts as a "gero-protector" drug that in general wards off the diseases of old age, and leads to a longer and healthier life. Because it has long been out of patent and there is no "pot of gold" for Big Pharma, there is only limited human testing, although what little has been done has been very positive. There is extensive animal testing that shows that it extends life and good health. Do some searching on the web and you will find a lot of information about it. BTW, I'm also taking 6 mg of Sirolimus (Rapamycin) once per week for the same reason. The website would not allow me to post the link to an excellent article summarising research in this area, but if you search for "From Rapalogs to anti-aging formula" you should find the article.
 
Mike D said:
Dropped both them and statins inside 6 months.
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Me too. I had a very supportive GP who was happy to take me off and see what happened. I had an HbA1C of 40 on metformin and 41 off after 3 months so he let me stay off. My last check was 36
 
I take 2000g a day off metformin sr 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening. I have had issues with constipation other than that ni other side effects I have my b12 checked and its normal. - it doesn't cause me to go low either so it's a medication I dont have any problems with using to help with my diabetes.
 
Metformin is not our enemy
Metformin is not to be feared

Metformin can tolerate us, it's some of us who can't tolerate Metformin

That is not Metformin's fault! It can be our friend in times of need, and some peoples needs are longer than others.

And some used to need it, and now no longer do.

If you can tolerate it and need it and stop or don't take it the folly is yours
 
I came off 1500 a day Metformin (and Statins) a year ago after a year on LCHF which stabilised my HBA1c and Fasting glucose. I was on them for about 8 years. I had no side effeects with them, I just have never wanted to be on meds for the rest of my life. I weaned myself of them by reducing by 500 a month down to zero. same with statins.

I have no doctors to take advice from so I do my own research and make my own decisions, which I realise is risky but that's my choice. I have not lived in the UK for 8 years so no longer have access to the NHS, and rural Cambodia and Thailand have only very basic, non-English speaking facilities. However so far it's all been positive, although weight loss is slower and so I am now adding Intermittent Fasting and an occasional week of one meal a day.

A bit of an aside, but I am currently investigating how best to come off Amlodipine and Bisoprolol Fumerate for 'high' blood pressure. I have NEVER had a reading in the high area, with only the odd reading in the pre-high range, but again was prescribed more lifelong meds. If my weight loss and mild exercise regime works I will look at stopping completely. I have recently halfed my daily dose of each and am still taking my 1 aspirin. Recent studies claim these hypertension meds are more effective if taken before bedtime, by around 45% so I am switching from mornings to evenings.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326771.php#1
 
I am also a person who doesn't like taking drugs unnecessarily and that of course can be hard to determine, but sometimes I get the impression some people think they are little more than a curse. Think of the drugs that are available that are improving and saving lives all over the world, penicillin for example and not forgetting insulin!. Many parts of the world don't have access to drugs and people die as a result. We are all very lucky to live in Countries where we have access to just about every drug available and they are life saving. Of course the downside is that some are prescribed 'just in case' and to me, this is where careful thought must be given.
 

completely the same as you. Back on it full dose and happy to do so. Helps with weight and hunger as well as other benefits.
 
I hope I reach 72. I've had health problems just after being born in the 970s.ive fought for good health all my life. So when I find a beneficial drug like metformin making a huge difference to my life, of course I not write it off when IBS rears it's ugle head. IBS I only get on very low carb eating. Mind u since changing my multivitamins I've had very little IBS symptoms. It's a fine balance of diet for me. Equally eating vegetables and how it effects my thyroid. Heart disease creeps up on us but I don't use a statin and I get high HDL and low LDL and collectively in lower 6s. I'm not convinced anything other then walking helps with dispelling cholesterol. For me. I don't eat margarine which I feel sticks to our arteries. Just like our kitchen appliances.
 
Major Buckmaster said:
completely the same as you. Back on it full dose and happy to do so. Helps with weight and hunger as well as other benefits.
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Probably because your never had to look round for a toilet every time you go to a restaurant I had to now will I go back on Metformin good luck to everyone who are on the devil drug
 
I've been on 1500 mg Metformin a day for nearly a year. The only time I've ever had issues with it was when I ate high carbs. Now that I don't consume as much carbs, I have no issues. I think I will stay on Metformin even when I lower my HbA1C into the healthy, non-diabetic range because of the PCOS.
 
ZESTRIL said:
Probably because your never had to look round for a toilet every time you go to a restaurant I had to now will I go back on Metformin good luck to everyone who are on the devil drug
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I was in a lot of pain too with cramps so I know just how metformin can take its toll. In fact the same with pre period shows. Loose tummy, diarrhea and cramps..... then a period after none for on average 8ths. Once I got over the first few days I was delighted... I ovulated. On my own. No IVF to induce it. Then every month got a bit easier and actively trying to get pregnant was a joy instead of dread and pumped with IVF hormones and hospital procedures/appointments.
I'd probably not take a drug either if I found no benefits to it. For me though, it was huge.
I'm back on regular metformin which I reintroduced very very slowly after a stomach and intestine bariatric operation. I hv bouts of wondering is this metformin, returned IBS or just my body reaction as always most pre menstruating days.
A specialist may know best about how the change of hormones influences or digestive system.
I do feel none menstruating patients hv a far different experience to me. Although being told I've already gone through the change at 48 without much fuss then hv the occasional bleed tells me I'm not out of needing metformin yet. One day I may not. Then of course I won't take it, who would?
 
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